This recent rumor does not make much sense for the Chicago Bears

There are plenty of rumors circling around the NFL right now. One rumor that seems to be true is that the Minnesota Vikings are planning to release Dalvin Cook. At this point, they are probably looking to cut him after June 1. A post-June 1 cut saves the Vikings $9 million dollars this season. Cutting him prior to that date only saves them a little over $5 million. Now, the team didn't even include him on their social media banner, but instead replaced him with fellow running back Alexander Mattison. Now, at least one major media outlet is calling the Chicago Bears as a possible landing spot for Cook.

Bryan DeArdo of CBS recently wrote about the imminent departure of Dalvin Cook and followed that up with five fits for the running back. If the title was not specific to landing spots, I'd take less issue with the rumor and speculation. Writing about team situations and stating how a player would make a good fit with that team is different than making it seem like those teams could actually be a landing spot. DeArdo clearly isn't paying attention to the full landscape of things.

The Chicago Bears signing or claiming Dalvin Cook does not make sense

The five teams that DeArdo lists as possible landing spots for Dalvin Cook are the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers. Personally, I could only see the Chargers as a true option here. The Cowboys moved on from Ezekiel Elliott, the Cardinals are likely to tank this season and the 49ers traded for Christian McCaffrey last year. Even if the Chicago Bears make sense from a football perspective, that does not mean Cook makes sense for this roster and locker room.

From a talent standpoint, Dalvin Cook would easily be the best running back in the Chicago Bears backfield. When healthy, Cook is the type of running back who can take over a game. He has gained over 1,100 yards for four straight years. He has 43 rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns during that span as well. He is also only 27 years old. Everything that DeArdo says about the fit between the Bears and Cook is true. I still don't see it happening.

From a financial standpoint, the Chicago Bears have plenty of room to claim him and take over his contract. However, I'm not confident that Ryan Poles would want to take on an aging running back with that many miles and pay him over $10 million per year for three years. This team is not ready to compete for a Super Bowl in 2023 and although fans want to see immediate production, Poles has remained calm and steady.

Do you think the Chicago Bears should add Dalvin Cook if he's released? Is he the missing piece this team needs to make the playoffs this year and push for a Super Bowl in 2024? My answer based on how I feel about running backs being disposal is no.